News - FINsix laptop power supply is a quarter size of traditional models

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Designed at MIT, it will be unveiled at the CES in January and be on sale by mid-2014.

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Read more.

Its missing a prong.

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Originally Posted by iggy

Its missing a prong.

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No, don't think so. That is a typical 2 pin US power plug.

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Originally Posted by peterb

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Originally Posted by iggy

Its missing a prong.

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No, don't think so. That is a typical 2 pin US power plug.

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Yup, that's the usual outlet in some countries.

"It is foreseen that the FINsix power adaptor shrinking tech will be used in a wide variety of other devices in the future ranging from air conditioners to more efficient electric motors".
Air conditioners are generally run by electric motors anyway; Danfoss currently have a compressor that is run using a high frequency motor using magnetic bearings that is far more efficient than a normal motor compressor combination. To change existing motors to HF motors will be very difficult, most run at 3000 rpm in the UK (50 Hz mains by a 2 pole motor) with many being attached to gearboxes or equipment that needs the fixed speed. If you double the frequency of the motor you will have to double the number of poles to keep its speed at 3000 rpm. More poles equals a larger motor and then reductions in efficiencies electrically and mechanically with high speed bearings. Not going to happen soon, unless with new kit designed for it.

Phrontis

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Originally Posted by Phrontis

"It is foreseen that the FINsix power adaptor shrinking tech will be used in a wide variety of other devices in the future ranging from air conditioners to more efficient electric motors".
Air conditioners are generally run by electric motors anyway; Danfoss currently have a compressor that is run using a high frequency motor using magnetic bearings that is far more efficient than a normal motor compressor combination. To change existing motors to HF motors will be very difficult, most run at 3000 rpm in the UK (50 Hz mains by a 2 pole motor) with many being attached to gearboxes or equipment that needs the fixed speed. If you double the frequency of the motor you will have to double the number of poles to keep its speed at 3000 rpm. More poles equals a larger motor and then reductions in efficiencies electrically and mechanically with high speed bearings. Not going to happen soon, unless with new kit designed for it.

Phrontis

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I think the idea is that you'd use the hf switching in the control side. I'd imagine the switching speed of 60W laptop PSUS is already in the 200khz+ range. These guys are talking about frequencies up in the 100Mhz range.

I wonder what kind of output they will achieve on that thing. I'm kinda interested because my laptop uses a 180W brick; big and heavy enough to beat a goat to death with. If I can get a more compact charger, it could help shave some weight off my backpack.

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Originally Posted by Phrontis

More poles equals a larger motor and then reductions in efficiencies electrically and mechanically with high speed bearings. Not going to happen soon, unless with new kit designed for it.

Phrontis

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Variable frequency control gear is widely used to vary the speed of induction motors in a wide variety of industrial and traction applications.

This product is using higher frequency switch mode techniques to obtain AC to DC conversion in a small footprint for low power applications.

US power outlets are terrible. I wouldn't plug my toaster into one. It's such a poor design.



This new development is great though :)

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Originally Posted by bledd

US power outlets are terrible. I wouldn't plug my toaster into one. It's such a poor design.

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Agreed, it's horrible.

When this is shaped into a UK plug, this won't be any bigger than most wall warts currently used to charge a phone but can be used to power a laptop! Awesome!

And if that's what they can do for power bricks, I wonder what they can do with mobile/USB chargers.

So how long will it be before Mike's Electric Stuff tears apart a Chinese knockoff that'd probably bake you thoroughly the first time you plug it in?

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Originally Posted by peterb

Variable frequency control gear is widely used to vary the speed of induction motors in a wide variety of industrial and traction applications.

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Yes they do, I have one for my lathe in my garage and have fitted inverters to motor gearbox units and pumps for the last 25 years or so. But you will not find many of them running a standard 3 phase motor of 3,000 RPM at 6,000 RPM (100Hz). My lathe only goes up by 50 %, even then it gets a bit noisy. If you increase the rotational speed by about 44% you will increase the loading on components by about 100%. I think that is what I was trying to say in my cack handed way.
As for controls, the majority of controls use a DC supply, so there could be some move to smaller units here. But there is normally so much space for the PSU that there is no real need to expensively shrink it.
Induction lighting is an example of high frequency circuits being put to good use, some of them can go up to a frequency as high as 13Mhz. I put loads in at one place I worked at, for high bay lighting in a warehouse. Advantages are a very nice white light in comparison to SON's, 50,000 hours service life and reduction in energy usage from 400 watts for the SON's to 150 watts for the IL's